Revenge is a dish best served cold
by alicewonder26
Summary: Charlotte is seated the bar, drowning her sorrows. Draco shows up, but will he help her heal?
1. Chapter 1

AN: Another one shot full of thoughts of revenge and sadness... hope you like it. I'm not JKR and I don't own HP.

I gave Tom a soft smile as he handed me the drink. He walked toward the end of the bar, and I held the glass in my fingers. The Firewhiskey was cold in the glass, and it burned going down, but nothing ever felt so good right now. I needed to feel something. I downed the drink, and Tom refilled the glass without complaint. I couldn't remember how many glasses I'd had, but the room was moving and everything was fuzzy. I heard footsteps approach my spot on the bar, and finished the glass.

"Give me another drink Tom." I'd said the words all night, but now they were said with a drunken haze.

"No." The word surprised me, and I turned to see who'd spoken. The voice had an aristocratic edge to it that Tom didn't possess. My eyes landed on Draco Malfoy's signature blonde hair and gray eyes.

"Why not?" I asked, hating that he looked at me with pity. He knew.

Draco didn't answer, just handed me a glass with water in it. His eyes brooked no refusal, and I swallowed the cold water. I didn't realize I was sober again until the full force of my hurt slammed me in the chest. Draco paid my tab, and slipping his hand under my arm, led me outside. At the apparition point, he turned on the spot, taking me to Malfoy Manor.

In his private wing of the manor, we sat in his room. The silence was deafening as we stood and stared at each other. Draco stood near the fireplace, his gray eyes locked on my brown ones in a mixture of pity and sadness.

"How did you know?" I asked, fighting the tremor that accompanied my voice as I spoke.

Draco grimaced, "I'd rather not say."

I'm still not sure if it was the fact that he knew, or my impending tears, but I placed my head in my hands and sobbed. The whole situation was hard to face, but it was necessary. His words rang in my head as we'd sat in his office. I couldn't believe I'd let myself fall for Harry Potter. I never planned for it to happen, but it did.

Somewhere along the way, he'd fallen for me too. Or that's what he wanted me to believe. We had spent the last 10 months in a torrid affair. Yes, he was still with Ginny Weasley, but he kept telling me he was going to leave her and be with me. And like the foolish girl I was, I believed him. His emerald eyes had always seemed so sincere when he said it.

I was guilty of wearing my heart on my sleeve. I didn't hide my feelings from him, pleaded with him to leave her. That I could give him what he needed and that I often did. That we didn't have to live this way. Draco knew about the affair. He warned me that it would end badly, but stood by me in a show of support.

Draco sat next to me on the bed, wrapping his arms around me as I cried. He made soothing sounds, rubbing my back. "Let it out. Tell me what happened."

In between sobs, I told him how Harry had broken it off for good in his office tonight. How'd he told me that Ginny was pregnant and that he had to do the right thing. How he hated hurting me, but that it was necessary. That everyone expected him to marry her anyway. I was a half-blood like him, but I wasn't Ginny. He'd made that clear.

I glanced up at Draco with watery eyes and said, "You were right."

Draco didn't wear the gloating look one would expect him to. Instead, his gray eyes were filled with sadness. "I didn't want to be right love."

He held me as I cried more, soaking his expensive shirt with my tears. And the silence returned, punctuated by my sobs. When I had cried myself out, I pushed off Draco's shoulder and glanced at him, determination filling my soul.

I knew Draco loved me. Before I'd let myself believe Harry's lies, I had liked him too. Now, huddled in his arms crying my eyes out over the git who'd broken my heart, I didn't realize until this moment how he must have felt. Guilt surged through me as I took Draco's feelings into consideration.

I rose, placing a shaky hand to my lips, "Oh, Draco. What have I done?"

Draco's eyes flashed, "Nothing."

I could see the partially hidden anger and resentment in his eyes, but his voice was firm, "You did nothing Charlotte."

New tears made tracks down my face, " But here I am sobbing over Harry when I'm acutely aware of how you feel about me."

Draco ran his hands over his face. He stood, walking to where I stood by the door. He took me in his arms, holding me gently as if he thought I would run away if he moved too quickly. One finger raised my chin to look at his eyes, and when he spoke, his voice was soft and husky. "Charlotte, I've loved you even when you got tangled in Harry's path. I knew what he was doing to you. I knew all along he was using you but spared you because I believed you had to hear it from him. I knew you'd be at the bar when I saw Harry giving Ginny Weasley that ring in his office. I'd locked eyes with him and saw he didn't feel bad in the slightest for you. Now I'm going to show how much I care about you."

And he pressed his lips to mine with determination. He kissed me like he was trying to erase the memory of Harry Potter from my life. And in the resulting sighs that followed, he'd succeeded. Now the only thing on my mind was revenge. He needed to hurt as much as he'd hurt me. I remembered the last words he'd said to me.

" _Charlotte, you are nothing but a dirty Slytherin, and I never loved you."_

I knew I'd make him regret those words if it was the last thing I ever did.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Note: I've had this in my documents forever. I've been meaning to post it, but life has been crazy. I have no beta, so any and all mistakes are mine. I also do not own HP._**

" _Charlotte, you are nothing but a dirty Slytherin, and I never loved you."_

 _I knew I'd make him regret those words if it was the last thing I ever did._

Charlotte narrowed her eyes as she saw the front page of the Daily Prophet. The paper was full of the news of Harry Potter's engagement to Ginny Weasley. They smiled together, happy and in love. The next page showed Ginny picking out wedding stuff in Diagon Alley. Charlotte grit her teeth together and tossed the paper to the floor.

Draco came in and picked the paper, a sneer crossing his face as he saw the headlines. He tossed the paper in the fireplace, and sipped his coffee.

His eyes met mine a moment, "I see the paper is still reporting that trash."

I sneered at the fire where the paper had long burnt to ash. I slipped into Draco's arms and nodded.

" Yes. I think it's time I make my move, what do you think?" I kept my eyes on Draco's with a worried feeling entering my stomach.

I wasn't sure some days if Draco really wanted me to seek my revenge on Harry, but I hadn't made a large move against him in the months leading up to the Potter wedding.

I already had most of the evidence of our affair, which I knew he would dismiss if I ever confronted him in front of Ginny. I could easily be passed off a jealous woman and I wanted to hurt him. The Slytherin in me wouldn't accept anything less, which was probably why Draco was helping me. He was still angry over how I'd been treated, regardless of the warning he'd given me. Slytherin's protected their own.

Draco pressed his lips to mine a moment and asked, "Do you have that evidence still?"

I nodded, " I do. I don't know how to get this ball rolling without him dismissing me. I want him to find out at the last possible second, with no way to form a defensive plan, and no way to have help from his friends. Let alone his fiance."

Draco was working with Harry, I knew that much. He'd asked for a transfer and the two were working together. I knew it was hard for him to act like he was Saint Potter's friend, but it was all appearances. I acted the same to Hermione Granger, even though I didn't care for her. The feeling was mutual. I'm sure the fact that I was a Slytherin and she a Gryffindor had something to do with it.

Draco slid me a card. I glanced down at it. William Anderson, wizarding detective. I gave him a look.

Draco munched on his breakfast, "I got his card from Pansy. Apparently, he works in the states and is great at digging up dirt on people, no matter how well loved or hated they might be. I've been having him dig up dirt on Potter,Granger, Weasley and Weaslette for months. He's due to give me the final information today, but I can't make it. I'll send you in my place."

Later that day, I met with William Anderson, who slipped me a rather large package as I gave him the last of his pay.

William kept his voice low, "That is the last of the information. I daresay you won't encounter any issues with anyone once that is made public."

I gave him a smile, "Thank you so much."

He nodded and walked out of the cafe. I held the package tight to me as I walked to the apparition point. I was jostled outside of the bridal shop and my eyes snapped up to meet Ginny Weasley's. She glared at me, and I held my head high as I righted myself, passing her. I couldn't wait to knock her and those who loved her down a peg or two.

"Apparently the Golden Trio isn't so golden after all." I handed Draco the package and watched as his face lit up with glee.

"Potter's been a busy man… and so has his bride. This is going to make waves." Draco's voice was full of that arrogance and glee that I was used to hearing.

His gray eyes met mine, " You will get your revenge my dear."

We put our heads together and formed a plan. This was going to be nothing like the Wizarding world had ever seen before.

It was the day of their wedding. The day was warm and sunny. Draco had managed to secure an invite. Harry had been insistent that his partner was allowed to be at his wedding, and Ginny couldn't refuse him. I was there as his plus one. Draco and I had made all the arrangements, and sat back in our seats to watch the fun, I mean, the wedding start.

Wearing a glamour so neither Harry nor Ginny recognized me, I flicked a piece of dirt off my dress and watched Harry as he stood waiting for his bride. Ginny was pretty as she walked down the aisle, and everything was going according to plan. Then, the ministry official asked if there was anyone who objected to this union.

A clear voice rang out from the end of the isle. " I do."

Everyone turned to face the slight figure who stood at the end of the isle. She was wearing a cloak that obscured her face and kept her arm on the wizard standing to her left. He wore a cloak identical to hers. The whispers started in the crowd. It had taken Draco and I only a few days to contact the witch that Harry had been with prior to me. After speaking with her and removing a few charms, she could clearly remember her affair with the boy-who lived. Her rounded stomach was the proof in her story, as she was 7 months pregnant.

Grace lowered her hood and everyone heard the gasp that Harry let out at the sight of her. She was gorgeous. Her brown hair was curly and her eyes were full of tears as she swept the cloak back to show her stomach.

Her voice quivered, "Harry? I thought you loved me? I'm pregnant. I haven't heard from you in months."

Ginny Weasley wore a murderous look on her face as she stared at her fiance. She opened her mouth to say something, probably to hex him. But she was stopped by the deep voice of the man to Grace's left. He too, lowered his hood and turned dark chocolate eyes to Ginny.

His voice shook, " You left me Ginny. I found the pregnancy test. I know you are pregnant with my child. How could you run away from me? Away from us? I loved you."

Now it was Harry's turn to shoot daggers at his fiance.

" You told me it was mine!" The anger in his voice and in the air was strong.

Beside them, Ron and Hermione frowned. If Charlotte and Draco hadn't done their research, they would have nipped this whole thing in the bud and all she would have accomplished was embarrassment. As it was, more scandalous information was going to come out.

Grace pulled out a sheaf of papers from her robes, her eyes still on Harry. He was bickering with Ginny and the two were so lost in their own argument that at first Harry didn't hear what Grace was reading. But Ginny did.

Her face paled as she turned to the witch standing next to her as her maid of honor. Her face then turned a bright shade of Weasley red as Grace read out love letters from Hermione to Harry. Hermione paled, tried to do some damage control, but was screwed as Grace read out a line from the letter pertaining to her guilt over sleeping with her friends boyfriend.

Ron turned red, as he was dating Hermione at the time. He gave Harry a murderous look and began yelling at his mate. Soon they were all trading barbs and it was all ugly. The minister closed his bible and walked out of the wedding.

Draco and I had to hide our glee. My part was coming up, and I excused myself, going to the bathroom and coming back with my glamour dropped. As I entered, Harry spotted me and his face paled as I stepped forward. My arrival brought a wave of silence and the bickering parties turned to face me. I then laid out the evidence of my own affair with Harry. How he dumped me, how he led me on.

Ginny had enough. She stormed out, followed by a majority of the wedding party. Soon it was just Harry and I alone, surrounded by wedding decorations. Harry had his head in his hands and was mumbling to himself as I approached.

His face held a murderous look, "You!"

I nodded. " Me."

Harry stood, barely concealing his anger. " You did this? All of this?"

I nodded, my voice deadly. " I did. Do you remember what you said to me, at the end?"

Harry shook his head, "no. I don't. I don't remember what I say to slags."

I narrowed my eyes and stepped into his space, " you said, 'Charlotte, you are nothing but a dirty Slytherin and I never loved you.' "

Harry's face lost some of its color. I leaned in, my voice almost a whisper. I twisted the knife, the final blow.

" You forgot one thing that day. Yes, I am Slytherin. And I never forget. And we Slytherin's always get our revenge. You hurt me that day. You took my heart and smashed into a thousand pieces, then went on with your life, as if I was nothing. I want you to feel what I felt that day. I want you to know what it's like to have your world turned upside down. You don't get to get away with everything because you saved our world. Life has consequences Potter."


End file.
